Maryland Historical Trust



Maryland Historical Trust Inventory No. PG: 68-013-36

Maryland Inventory of

Historic Properties Form

1. Name of Property (indicate preferred name)

historic Mount Rainier United Methodist Church (preferred)

other Cedar Lane United Methodist Church (current)

2. Location

street and number 3501 Bunker Hill Road    not for publication

city, town Mount Rainier    vicinity

county Prince George's County

3. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners)

name Mount Rainier Methodist Church

street and number 3501 Bunker Hill Road telephone      

city, town Mount Rainier state MD zip code 20712

4. Location of Legal Description

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Prince George's County Courthouse liber 138 folio 114

city, town Upper Marlboro tax map 49 tax parcel F3 tax ID number 17 1923259

5. Primary Location of Additional Data

   Contributing Resource in National Register District

   Contributing Resource in Local Historic District

   Determined Eligible for the National Register/Maryland Register

   Determined Ineligible for the National Register/Maryland Register

   Recorded by HABS/HAER

   Historic Structure Report or Research Report at MHT

X Other: Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George's County Planning Department

6. Classification

Category Ownership Current Function Resource Count

   district    public    agriculture    landscape Contributing Noncontributing

X building(s) X private    commerce/trade    recreation/culture 1      buildings

   structure    both    defense X religion           sites

   site    domestic    social           structures

   object    education    transportation           objects

   funerary    work in progress 1 0 Total

   government    unknown

   health care    vacant/not in use Number of Contributing Resources

   industry    other: previously listed in the Inventory

1

7. Description Inventory No. PG: 68-013-36

Condition

   excellent    deteriorated

X good    ruins

   fair    altered

Prepare both a one-paragraph summary and a comprehensive description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today.

The Mount Rainer United Methodist Church at 3501 Bunker Hill Road is known today as the Cedar Lane United Methodist Church. The two-and-a-half-story, three-bay Classical Revival-style church was constructed in 1924. The main block of the church and multiple rear additions create an L-shaped plan. The building is sited on the northeast corner of Bunker Hill Road and 35th Street in Mount Rainier. A stone retaining wall is located around the edge of the property, along Bunker Hill Road. A paved parking lot is located in the rear with access from 35th Street. There are no secondary resources associated with this property.

Church

The Mount Rainer United Methodist Church is a two-and-a-half-story, three-bay building designed in the Classical Revival style. The uncoursed ashlar stone structure was built in 1924. The building has an L-shaped plan, which consists of the rectangular plan of the main block and the perpendicularly sited rectangular plan of the rear (east) addition. The building has an interior-rear corbelled chimney of brick construction. The church has front gable roof covered in slate shingles. The roof has a raked cornice, pedimented gable with modillions, and an ogee-molded frieze board. A two-and-a-half-story, three-bay portico frames the primary entry. The portico replicates the façade of the main block with a pedimented gable with modillions. The portico is supported by four evenly spaced wood Tuscan columns. The gable ends are clad in stucco. Fenestration consists of 1/1, 6/6, and 8/8 windows and segmental-arched stained glass windows.

Fenestration at the first-story façade (west elevation) of the main block consists of three double-leaf wood entry doors. The doors have Colonial Revival-style surrounds with pilasters and ogee-molded lintels. Three 1/1 windows with square-edged wood surrounds and concrete lug sills are located on the second story directly over the entry doors. Sited between the doors and windows are concrete spandrel panels. A multi-light oculus window is located in the tympanum of the gable.

The north (side) elevation of the main block’s basement level is fenestrated with a single-leaf paneled wood door with lights in the westernmost bay and two 8/8 windows with square-edged wood surrounds. A 6/6 window with square-edged wood surround is located on the first and second stories above the door, in the westernmost bay. Three full-story segmental-arched stained glass windows are symmetrically placed on the first story of the north (side) elevation of the main block.

Fenestration at the basement level of the south (side) elevation of the main block consists of four 8/8 windows with square-edged wood surrounds and a louvered wood vent located in the easternmost bay. The first story has three full-story segmental-arched stained glass windows. A 6/6 window with square-edged wood surround is placed on the first and second stories of the westernmost and easternmost bays of the south (side) elevation.

A two-story, side-gabled Colonial Revival-style addition with belfry is located on the east rear elevation of the main block. The addition, constructed in 1955, has a rectangular plan located perpendicularly to the main block.[1] The addition is masonry construction of 6-course Flemish-bond brick. The side gable roof is covered in slate shingles and has a plain frieze. An interior-side chimney of brick construction is sited on the addition.

The four-story belfry is located at the juncture of the addition and the original structure, which is the northeast corner of the main block. The belfry consists of a two-story brick base topped by a one-story rectangular base and finally capped by an octagonal cupola. The belfry features a double-leaf wood entry door with a blind transom and soldier surround on the first story of the façade (west elevation). A 6/6 window with square-edged wood surround is located on the second story of both the façade and north (side) elevation. The flat roof that tops the two-story brick structure features a cornice with modillions and an ogee-molded frieze board. The rectangular third-story base features a segmental-arched louvered wood vent flanked by pilasters and pediment located on all four elevations. The octagonal fourth-story cupola features 6/6 windows capped by lunette windows on all eight elevations. The octagonal roof covered in pressed metal is topped by a cross.

The fenestration of the c. 1955 addition consists of two symmetrically placed 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds on the first and second stories of the façade (west elevation). Basement-level fenestration was not visible due to mature vegetation. Fenestration on the north (side) elevation of addition was not visible due to mature vegetation.

The south (side) elevation of the c. 1955 addition is three stories in height due to the topography of the site. Fenestration of the first story consists of a double-leaf paneled wood door with lights. The door has a Colonial Revival-style surround with pilasters, entablature, and 7-light transom. The door is flanked on either side by a 6/6 window with square-edged wood surround, concrete sill, and soldier lintel. A concrete belt course is located above the first story. Fenestration of the second and third stories consist of three symmetrically placed 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and soldier lintels. A round louvered vent is placed in the gable end.

The east (rear) elevation of the c. 1955 addition is also three stories in height. Fenestration at the first story consists of one 6/6 window and four bays of paired 9/9 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and solider lintels. A concrete belt course is located above the first story. The second story is fenestrated by a 6/6 window and four bays of paired 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and soldier lintels. The third story is fenestrated by a 6/6 window and six bays of paired 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and soldier lintels.

A one-and-a-half-story flat-roofed addition is located on the northern portion of the east (rear) elevation of the c. 1955 addition. This addition is covered by a flat roof with molded concrete cornice and metal coping. The addition is 6-course Flemish-bond brick construction. Based on its form and materials, the flat-roofed addition appears to have been constructed at the time of the side-gabled addition, c. 1955. Fenestration on the first story of the façade (south elevation) consists of a double-leaf paneled wood door with lights and a single 6/6 window with square-edged wood surround, concrete sill, and soldier lintel. A 7-light transom is located above the entry. The second story has two symmetrically placed 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and soldier lintels. Fenestration on the east (side) and north (rear) elevations consists of two 6/6 windows with square-edged wood surrounds, concrete sills, and solider lintels on both the first and second stories. The interior of the church was not accessible at the time of the on-site survey.

Integrity

The Classical Revival-style main block of the church retains its original form, architectural details, and wood windows, therefore retaining its integrity of design, materials, and workmanship. The c. 1955 Colonial Revival-style addition, which can be seen from all elevations and reads as a modern addition, does not negatively impact the design of the church; it represents the growth of the Mount Rainier congregation. The church retains its integrity of setting, location, association, and feeling due to its continuous church use.

8. Significance Inventory No. PG: 68-013-36

Period Areas of Significance Check and justify below

   1600-1699    agriculture    economics    health/medicine    performing arts

   1700-1799    archeology    education    industry    philosophy

   1800-1899 X architecture    engineering    invention    politics/government

X 1900-1999    art    entertainment/    landscape architecture X religion

   2000-    commerce recreation    law    science

   communications    ethnic heritage    literature    social history

   community planning    exploration/    maritime history    transportation

   conservation settlement    military    other:      

Specific dates 1924 Architect/Builder Rossel E. Mitchell, architect

R.E. Milor and Company, builder

Construction dates 1924, c. 1955

Evaluation for:

   National Register    Maryland Register    not evaluated

Prepare a one-paragraph summary statement of significance addressing applicable criteria, followed by a narrative discussion of the history of the resource and its context. (For compliance projects, complete evaluation on a DOE Form – see manual.)

Statement of Significance

The Mount Rainier United Methodist Church, located at 3501 Bunker Hill Road in Mount Rainier, is significant as an excellent example of Classical Revival-style architecture in Prince George’s County. The building’s construction in 1924 from a design by architect Rossel E. Mitchell reflects the rapid expansion Mount Rainer experienced as a streetcar suburb during the first decades of the twentieth century. The building is an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood that stands out for its architectural details and service to the community. The building retains sufficient integrity to convey the characteristics for which it is significant.

Historic Context

The Mount Rainier United Methodist Church is located in downtown Mount Rainier. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Washington, D.C. continued to grow and consequently spread into adjoining areas such as Prince George’s County. Residential suburbs developed to accommodate federal and city workers. Mount Rainier and the neighboring towns of Cottage City, Brentwood, and Capitol Heights began to develop during the first decades of the twentieth century due to their proximity to Washington, D.C. and location along streetcar and rail lines. The Rhode Island Avenue streetcar line, which opened in 1897, provided easy access into the District of Columbia for residents of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainer was settled by middle-class families starting around the turn of the twentieth century and was incorporated as a city in 1910. Many early residents worked in Washington, D.C. and used the Rhode Island streetcar line to commute. The early suburb contained modest vernacular single-family houses and early-twentieth-century Revival-style churches.[2] Between 1910 and 1932, the population of Mount Rainier increased from 1,242 to nearly 5,000 necessitating the need for increased services as well as cultural and religious institutions.[3]

In 1916, twenty-six congregants signed a petition requesting permission of the Methodist Bishop of Maryland to reorganize as a self-supporting congregation, separate from the Hyattsville Methodist Episcopal Church. The congregation took the name Mount Rainier Methodist and worshipped at Potts Hall (now Star Hall) on Rhode Island Avenue.[4] The church incorporated in 1919 as the Mount Rainier United Methodist Church South and purchased the 26,374 square-foot lot at the northeast corner of Bunker Hill Road and 35th Street from John C. Yost.[5]

Architect Rossel E. Mitchell was commissioned to design the church in 1924. Mitchell had previously founded the firm Mitchell and Wilcox in Norfolk, Virginia. His firm designed the First Calvary Baptist Church (DHL #122-73), Queen Street Baptist Church, and Larchmont Methodist Church, all in Virginia.[6] The builder of the Mount Rainier United Methodist Church was R.E. Milor and Company and the stone contractor was Jaeger and Minchillo. At the time of construction, the church’s congregation consisted of 447 adult members. The congregation grew quickly and by 1955 it had reached almost 800 adult members.[7] Two large Colonial Revival-style additions were built onto the rear of the original church in c. 1955, which doubled the size of the building.

Currently, the church houses the Cedar Lane United Methodist congregation, by Reverend M. E. Harrison. The name of the church appears to have changed in 2006.

9. Major Bibliographical References Inventory No. PG: 68-013-36

| |

|Cote, Richard C. “First Calvary Baptist Church”, National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form, 1987. |

|Historic Mount Rainier Maryland. “Historical Overview.” . |

|King, Marina. “Mt. Rainier United Methodist Church” (PG: 68-13-36) Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form, 1987. |

|Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Prince George’s County Planning Department, Historic Sites and Districts Plan, 1992. |

|Prince George’s County Land Records. |

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of surveyed property 0.6054

Acreage of historical setting 0.6054

Quadrangle name Washington East Quadrangle scale: 1:24,000

Verbal boundary description and justification

| |

|The Mount Rainier United Methodist Church is sited on a small 0.6-acre lot, at the northeast corner of the intersection of Bunker Hill Road and 35th Street. |

|The lot is located in a residential neighborhood and is surrounded by single and twin dwellings. The property has been associated with Parcel F3 as noted on |

|Tax Map 49 since its construction. |

11. Form Prepared by

name/title Saleh Van Erem, Architectural Historian

organization EHT Traceries, Incorporated date October 2007

street & number 1121 5th Street NW telephone 202.393.1199

city or town Washington state DC

The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA,

1974 supplement.

The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only

and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust

DHCD/DHCP

100 Community Place

Crownsville, MD 21032-2023

410-514-7600

Chain of Title

Will WAJ, JR 1:134 Benedict Yost divides real estate equally among children.

October 16, 1883

Deed 138:114 John C. and Emma V. Yost to Mount Rainier Methodist Episcopal

February 3, 1919 Church. ($10)

[pic]

Photo: Mount Rainier United Methodist Church, view of the façade (west elevation), looking east.

[pic]

Photo: Mount Rainier United Methodist Church, view of the southwest corner, looking northeast.

[pic]

Photo: Mount Rainier United Methodist Church, view of the rear addition, looking northwest.

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[1] Marina King, “Mt. Rainier United Methodist Church,” (PG: 68-36) Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form (1987), 8:1.

[2] Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Prince George’s County Planning Department, Historic Sites and Districts Plan (1992), B-13.

[3] Historic Mount Rainier Maryland, “Historical Overview,” (accessed July 17, 2007).

[4] Marina King, “Mt. Rainier United Methodist Church,” (PG: 68-36) Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form (1987), 8:1.

[5] John C. Yost to Mount Rainier United Methodist Church, Prince George’s County Land Records, 138:114.

[6] Richard C. Cote, “First Calvary Baptist Church,” National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form (1987), 122-73.

[7] Marina King, “Mt. Rainier United Methodist Church,” (PG: 68-36) Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form (1987), 8:1.

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